Fork-crown for bicycles



a h S w e e h S 2 S W E H m T A M T A a d o M 0 m FORK GROWN FOR BIGYGLES.

Patented Aug. 10,1897.

Inventor. A .T. Matt hewa Attorneys.

{No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. T. MATTHEWS. PORK GROWN FOR BIGYGLES.

No. 587,984. I Patented Aug. 10,1897.

Witnesses. Inventor.

w- J. AT. Matthews.

G) W B;

J all 50f 1226 Attorn ys,

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMBROSE T. MATTHE\VS, OF lVOR-CESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

FORK-CROWN FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,984, dated August 10, 1897.

Application filed October 5, 1896.

lb (til when. it nmy/ (on/(fern.-

Be it known th at I, AMBROSE T. MATTHEWS, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vorcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fork-Crowns for Bicycles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a strong, attractive, and inexpensive forkcrown for bicycles, which may be stamped up out of sheet metal. I

To this end my invention consists of the parts and combinations of parts, as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a forkcrown for bicycles constructed according to my invention, the relative position of the steering-tube for the bicycle and the forktubes being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a modified form of construction. Figs. 4 and 5 are plan views of the blanks from which the inner sheet-metal shell is preferably constructed. Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views of the same. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the inner shell. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the blank which I preferably employ for forming the outer covering or envelop. Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the same. Fig. 11 is a sectional view illustrating the form assumed by the blank when it has been curved or formed, and Fig. 12 is a sectional view of the blank after it has been milled or trimmed to shape.

A fork-crown for bicycles constructed according to my invention preferably comprises an inner stamped-up sheet-metal shell and an outer sheet-metal cover or envelop. The inner sheet-metal shell is preferably formed from two pieces of sheet metal or blanks, which are rounded or bent into the required shape and brazed together at their edges. The outer covering or envelop of sheet metal is preferably formed from a single piece or blank, which is bent around the inner shell so that its edges are brought into engagement and form a joint underneath the shell, so that the outer envelop or covering and the inner Serial No. 607,858. (No model.)

shell break jointst-hat is to say, the joints or seams of the inner shell do not correspond with or come opposite thejoints or seams in the outer shell. The inner shell is also preferably provided with one or more integral turned-in cylindrical collars, which form a socket extending through the inner shell for receiving the steering-tube of the bicycle.

Referring to the drawings and in detail, A designates the inner shell, and B designates the outer envelop or covering. In practice the ends of the inner shell preferably extend below the outer envelop or covering B, so as to form nipples 10 and 11 for receiving the fork-tubes D of a bicycle. The outer envelop or covering Bis provided with an integral upturned collar 12, inside of which the steeringtube 0 of a bicycle may fit.

To form the inner shell A, two pieces of sheet metal are first drawn or punched out with integral collars, as 13 and l t, said pieces having the shape indicated by the blanks E and F in Figs. 4 and 5 The blanks E and F are then bent into the required form and brazed together at their edges, as indicated in Fig. 8, bringing the collars l3 and 14 into alinementto form a socket extending through the shell A for receiving the steering-tube of a bicycle.

To form the outer envelop or covering, a sheet-metal blank having an integral collar 12 is stamped out substantially in the shape of the blank G. (Illustrated in Fig. 9.) The blank G is then pressed into the shape shown in Fig. 11 and is then trimmed or milled, so that its edges 15 and 16 will be brought into engagement when the blank is bent around the inner shell to form the outer covering or envelop, and its edges 17 and 18 are trimmed so as to form substantially straight shoulders or abutments for engaging the fork-tubes of the bicycle.

It is obvious that in some cases the outer shell B may be employed by itself and will form a practical and efficient fork-crown without the use of the inner shell A, but in practice I prefer to employ the inner shell, as the same will greatly strengthen and reinforce the outer shell or envelop B.

In some cases instead of employing two blanks or sheet-metal pieces to form the inner shell said shell may be stamped up or formed from a single blank. For instance, the blank F, as illustrated in Fig. 5, may be provided with extending tongues or projections 19, as shown by dotted lines, so that when said blank is stamped or pressed into shape the tongues 19 will unite, as illustrated in Fig. 3. Where this construction is employed, the collar which is formed integrally with the blank F should be made long enough to-extend completely through the inner shell, as illustrated at 21 in Figs. 3 and '7.

Instead of employing the lower blank F of the inner shell the upper blank E may in a similar way be provided with extending tongues 20, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4, which may be bent up and united in a similar manner, and the collar which is formed with the blank E should in that case be made long enough to extend down through the inner shell, as indicated by dotted lines 22 in Fig. 6; and in some cases-for instance, in racing-machinesI prefer to form the inner shell from a single blank, as by means of this construction I am enabled to save considerable weight of metal without materially weakening the construction.

In the sectional View in Fig. 3 I have illustrated a construction in which, instead of having the ends of the inner shell extend below the outer covering or envelop to form nipples for receiving the fork-tubes the outer envelop or covering is extended below the inner shell, thus forming sockets 23, into which the ends of the fork-tubes may be inserted.

I am aware that many changes may be made in the construct-ion of fork-crowns for bicycles by those who are skilled in theiart without departing from the scope of my invention as expressed in the claims. I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the forms which I have shown and described; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. As an article of manufacture, a hollow, rounding, arch-shaped crown-piece for connecting the fork-tubes of a bicycle, comprising an inner, hollow, sheet-metal shell A and an outer sheet-metal covering B, the joints of the inner shell and outer covering being out of line with each other, and the ends of one of the parts being extended below the ends of the other part to form sections adapted to engage the fork-tubes of a bicycle, substantially as described.

2. A fork-crown for bicycles comprising an inner shell formed from two sheet-metal blanks bent and brazed together at their edges, said blanks having integral, turned-in collars, which abut to form a socket for receiving the steering-tube of a bicycle, and an outer covering or envelop formed from a single sheet-metal blank bent around so that its edges are brought into engagement underneath the inner shell, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AMBROSE T. MATTHEWS. Vitnesses:

LoUIs W. SOUTHGATE, PHILIP W. SOUTHGATE. 

